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Potential Applications of Biogas Produced in Small-Scale UASB-Based Sewage Treatment Plants in Brazil

Author

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  • Fabiana Passos

    (Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil)

  • Thiago Bressani-Ribeiro

    (Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil)

  • Sonaly Rezende

    (Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil)

  • Carlos A. L. Chernicharo

    (Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil)

Abstract

Rural sanitation is still a challenge in developing countries, such as Brazil, where the majority population live with inadequate services, compromising public health and environmental safety. In this context, this study analyzed the demographic density of these rural agglomerations using secondary data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The goal was to identify the possibilities associated with using small-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors for sewage treatment, mainly focusing on biogas production and its conversion into energy for cooking, water heating and sludge sanitization. Results showed that most rural agglomerations lacking the appropriate sewage treatment were predominant from 500 to 1500 inhabitants in both northern and southern Brazilian regions. The thermal energy available in the biogas would be enough to sanitize the whole amount of sludge produced in the sewage treatment plants (STPs), producing biosolids for agricultural purposes. Furthermore, the surplus of thermal energy (after sludge sanitization) could be routed for cooking (replacing LPG) and for water heating (replacing electricity) in the northern and southern regions, respectively. This would benefit more than 200,000 families throughout rural areas of the country. Besides the direct social gains derived from the practice of supplying biogas for domestic uses in the vicinity of the STPs, there would be tremendous indirect gains related to the avoidance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, an anaerobic-based sewage treatment may improve public health conditions, life quality and generate added value products in Brazilian rural areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabiana Passos & Thiago Bressani-Ribeiro & Sonaly Rezende & Carlos A. L. Chernicharo, 2020. "Potential Applications of Biogas Produced in Small-Scale UASB-Based Sewage Treatment Plants in Brazil," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-12, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:13:p:3356-:d:378808
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Garfí, Marianna & Martí-Herrero, Jaime & Garwood, Anna & Ferrer, Ivet, 2016. "Household anaerobic digesters for biogas production in Latin America: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 599-614.
    2. Chen, Yu & Yang, Gaihe & Sweeney, Sandra & Feng, Yongzhong, 2010. "Household biogas use in rural China: A study of opportunities and constraints," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 545-549, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Łukasz Warguła & Mateusz Kukla & Piotr Lijewski & Michał Dobrzyński & Filip Markiewicz, 2020. "Influence of the Use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Systems in Woodchippers Powered by Small Engines on Exhaust Emissions and Operating Costs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Maria Cristina Collivignarelli & Alessandro Abbà & Francesca Maria Caccamo & Silvia Calatroni & Vincenzo Torretta & Ioannis A. Katsoyiannis & Marco Carnevale Miino & Elena Cristina Rada, 2021. "Applications of Up-Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and Characteristics of Its Microbial Community: A Review of Bibliometric Trend and Recent Findings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Philomina Mamley Adantey Arthur & Yacouba Konaté & Boukary Sawadogo & Gideon Sagoe & Bismark Dwumfour-Asare & Issahaku Ahmed & Richard Bayitse & Kofi Ampomah-Benefo, 2023. "Evaluating the Potential of Renewable Energy Sources in a Full-Scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor Treating Municipal Wastewater in Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.

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